Inspection Ordered for Scandal-Plagued Catholic School in Bétharram

The Bordeaux rectorate begins an investigation into Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram following over 150 allegations of violence and sexual abuse spanning decades.

Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram, a private Catholic school in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, faces its first inspection in nearly 30 years after decades of abuse allegations.
Over 150 complaints of violence, sexual abuse, and misconduct have been filed against former staff, though most cases are now legally prescribed.
France's Education Minister Élisabeth Borne announced a national plan to increase oversight of private schools, including deploying 60 new inspectors and mandating systematic reporting of violence.
The institution's ties to high-profile figures, including Prime Minister François Bayrou, have drawn scrutiny, with accusations of past inaction to address abuses.
The inspection’s findings could lead to further measures, though the withdrawal of the school's state contract is not currently under consideration.